Review of the Netflix Docuseries I Just Killed My dad Rating *****
The documentary series I just Killed My Dad tells the story of Anthony Templet, who shot his father three times, killing him. The film begins with Anthony describing to police how he shot his father. Anthony comes across in the police videotapes as someone who has no empathy. He tells the police matter-of-factly that he didn’t like his father. At first glance, it appears as an ironclad second-degree murder case. That viewpoint evolves.
One of the compelling aspects of this docuseries is how they tell the story from all sides. Everyone has a different take on what happened and why. The police, prosecutor, and Attorney General see a murder case. The defense attorney sees a self-defense case. Caught in the middle is Anthony himself, who doesn’t understand why he just can’t go home.
As the facts behind the shooting emerge and the truth of what Anthony had to endure at the hands of his father comes out, everyone’s impressions of the case changes. I won’t offer any spoilers here, but I will say that you can’t choose your parents.
This film should be required viewing for every prosecutor. Is Anthony a threat to society? Should he spend decades in prison for killing his father? How much weight should a prosecutor give to the circumstances behind the shooting? Fortunately, the viewer hears from the prosecutor in this case as she weighs those important questions.
At under three hours, this three-part docuseries is a good candidate for a single night of viewing. Watch it on Netflix.